Open Letter To Our Military

It’s Friday and I’m outside 103.5 Kissfm writing you this letter for Saturday.  Armed Forces Day is Saturday and I only hope you will join me in thanking our military for standing watch so we can enjoy another free day.

To the Men and Women serving in the Armed Forces,

You are typically forgotten and for that I'm deeply sorry. Months go by and holidays approach and pass. A news story breaks and military casualties pay the price. We feel sad for a few minutes and might even discuss it with a friend or co-worker. BEEP. BEEP. Text alert from Entertainment Tonight Online, “Justin Bieber is having a baby with Selena Gomez.” BEEP. BEEP. Boise State just got a 4 star recruit. All is forgotten. It’s not because we don’t care, it’s just what happens. I guess it’s how our minds and lives work in 2014.

Growing up I always use to hear about the war and what it did to our troops. How it mentally affected them. I can remember seeing veterans in parades wearing those hats and medals to represent where they served. The POW flag is something that whenever I see it – I think about it. That only last a few minutes. I’m like everyone else. I move on as well.

I’m disappointed in myself as an American. I feel like I’ve let my own shipmates down considering I served with them. I don’t think about you ENOUGH. I don’t THANK YOU enough.

It's probably hard to explain to civilians what's it's REALLY like over there.  There is probably some part of you that refuses to let US know what's really happening in YOUR mind.  I remember spending Christmas and Thanksgiving out to sea with your military family.  It really didn't matter where you came from or what you believed.  We ALL wore the SAME uniform and represented the SAME country.  Some of us were lucky and had a roof over our heads.  I can't say the same for everyone else.  It must be pretty eye opening to spend that first holiday under a tent. No family.  No kids.  You stand watch.  Merry Christmas.

My highlight was being the MC and DJ for an out to sea air show for the ENTIRE battle group.  I guess I never really thought about that.  I hosted and played the soundtrack to an entire fleet over seas.  That's pretty special.  Whoa.  You can only imagine there are NO rules out to sea in the middle of nowhere.  There is nothing like witnessing a $40 million dollar fighter jet screaming through the skies about 100 feet above your head at the speed of sound.  It looks a little something like this:

There was the craziest time I remember and that made national news.  It was an early morning and I was TAD (Temporarily Assigned Duty) to the carrier USS Abraham Lincoln.  It just so happened that day I was filming a replenishment at sea from my old ship, USS Sacramento to ours.  The Sacramento is responsible for food and supplies for the entire battlegroup while on deployments.  So, my first day aboard I'm filming and something went really wrong.  The Sacramento crashed in to the Lincoln and all hell broke loose!  All I know is NCIS was on me so fast you would of thought I never put the tape IN.  I'm pretty sure the captain of the other ship lost his job shortly.  OUCH!

Serving in the United States Navy was a privilege and I will forever be in debt to my military brothers and sisters. I didn't fly in the F-18's that lit up the night sky or part of a special forces team. I was just a young guy who enlisted trying to figure out his own life.  Regardless, my time in the military was the best.  I'm finally out and everytime I see you in the uniform I always wonder where your going.  Are you prepping to deploy?  Will this be the last night with your familiy.  Then I go home.  Another day begins.

We offer you so little and you sacrifice everything. You offer your life if that day comes. We complain about traffic and pot holes. You keep an eye of for killers and worry about road side bombs. It's obvious we could never repay you.  We can’t fix you. We can only be there for you. We have to do better. I have to do better.

I promise NOT to forget about you today no matter what happens. I will find something camo and rock my red, white and blue. If I see you, I will walk up and say thank you – For you are always in my DREAMS, PRAYERS and will forever be MY HEROES.

Respectfully,

Kekeluv